


A Quick and Easy Way to Calm a Vengeful Spirit

by Scythe_of_Starlight



Category: Original Work
Genre: Don't copy to another site, Exposition, Fluff, Gen, Ghosts, Halloween, Internet, Light Witchery Themes, Massage, Mentions of Arsons, Mentions of Witchery, Modern Setting, Nighttime, Occult, Spirits, Supernatural Elements, Vengeful Spirits, corporeal ghosts, haunted hospital, haunted objects
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-16 01:50:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21263135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scythe_of_Starlight/pseuds/Scythe_of_Starlight
Summary: An Admin to the Occultology internet forum gets a message from a user regarding a dangerous Spirit that had set fire to a hospital a few months ago, being known as the Ghost Collector, she knows that Spirits are risky souls to tame. How will she tackle this tricky ordeal and get this Spirit off the streets...?(This was published on 2019-10-31. Don't believe the date's lies. This is a Halloween story after all!)





	A Quick and Easy Way to Calm a Vengeful Spirit

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Halloween everyone!! I felt bad about not posting in a while and did my best to put some Halloween goodness in my Works section! Hope you enjoy it!

New Messages: 1  
  
From: Witch-and-Famous at 12:11AM [2 files attached]  
_ Hey, @SpiritualScholar1408 got an investigation request here. I know I’m more of a lurker on this forum but something weird’s been happening recently and it’s honestly starting to freak me out? It’s been happening every time I drive to work. Look, I live kinda near the remains of this burned down hospital called Winterbridge Hospital, you probably heard about it since it was pretty big news back when it happened for how Holy-Shit-What-The-Fuck levels of sudden it was, though luckily no one died. The news said that there must’ve been some faulty wiring somewhere that caused the fire, as it was a pretty old, they even deemed it an artifact building and refused to let anyone demolish it. But the randomness of the incident brought up the possibility of that serial arsonist, the same one that targeted random police stations and houses a long while ago, maybe it was their sudden reappearance, they said. And since the arson, rumors have been going around about the place being haunted. _  
_ But back to my case. This is an occult board and I’m convinced something supernatural is going on with Winterbridge. Every time I pass by the remains of it -regardless if my windows are open or closed- I swear to you, I can smell something burning. It burned down months ago now and everyone’s been relocated since then, but no matter what I can smell burning! Once, I got out to investigate (bad idea I know!) and the smell was so strong that I half-way started choking when the temperature started rising for literally no reason! But I was stubborn enough to keep going (worse idea I know!) and from nowhere came streams of smoke and a ghostly fire alarm, like the sound faded in and out like a normal alarm never would. When I went far enough down a hallway, I had to place a hand on the wall to steady myself and then my palm was covered in blisters from a burn! I screamed and ran out immediately, but on the way I ran past a white ball of fire?? _  
_ I jumped back in my car and was about to drive away when I looked to the roof of the building and saw some kind of shadowy sketchy silhouette of a person silently standing there. I’m pretty sure it (they?) were/was smiling… _  
_ You can ignore this if you want since I can’t give pictures of my hand while it’s wrapped in bandages, but a picture of Winterbridge showed up in my Android’s camera roll the next day and the shadowy figure can be seen if you saturate the image hard enough. I’ll send you both the normal version and the saturated one with this message. If you actually read all the way through this, even if you don’t believe me, thanks I’m just glad to get this off my chest regardless. _  
  
Reply: SpiritualScholar1408 to Witch-and-Famous at 12:33AM  
_ Dear Witch-and-Famous, _  
_ Thank you for your message! First I would like to assure you that as an Admin of Occultology, I believe you 100%. I am well aware of the Winterbridge Arson case and commend your bravery for attempting to do some self-investigation but I also must tell you to never try to take matters into your own hands when it comes to investigating Spirits. After looking through the articles about Winterbridge and the other connecting arsons, I can confirm that the Spirit you’ve had this close encounter with was most likely The Hellfire Phantom, a particularly dangerous Spirit that was the cause of the serial arsons mentioned in your message. _  
  
_ Witnesses from the spiritual arson of a news station confess that the fire appeared from nowhere, coupled with the fact that no matter how intensive the conventional investigation was, no sign of a culprit could ever be located outside of the sudden pictures that would appear in the witnesses phones and cameras depicting the Spirit under specific methods. After analyzing the saturated image that you sent, it perfectly matches the others in our database regarding the Hellfire Phantom. Now for the Hellfire Phantom, is should be stated that this is a rather strange addition to his spiritual arsons, for one both Ghosts and Spirits can not communicate with normal humans and often use their actions to indicate what they intend to convey. The fact that he allowed everyone to escape alive (unfortunately this includes you) and that he - a Spirit with very powerful fire capabilities - is haunting a hospital titled _ ** _Winter_ ** _ bridge implies to me that he is secretly wanting to quell his grudge, but since normal humans like yourself can not withstand the powers of a Spirit - especially one as powerful as the Hellfire Phantom - I can not express my happiness and gratitude in your decision to come forward with your experience. _  
  
_ Regarding the “white ball of fire” that is known as a Will-O-the-Wisp. On their own, they are the wandering souls of normal humans that don’t recognize that they’ve died. But given the Hellfire Phantom, the Will-O-the-Wisp was merely phantom fire that is under his control, so it was likely an attempt to scare you off as he is still very solitary. I will look into this case with utmost attention. I do wish for your hand to make a fast and safe recovery! _  
  
_ Signed, SpiritualScholar1408 _  
  
There in the darkness of the room the only light was coming from the page on the laptop, even still the cool color palette of the sight offered little relief from the nigh oppressive void that seemed to devoured the rest of the world. The purple crystal ball glistens in what little lumination there is beside the scattered deck of Tarot cards that are half lost among the spellbooks and research papers. The bed of cartoony cat head outlines is neatly made, holly leaves and potion brewing materials lay nicely in the assorter drawers of the desk, the closet is half open with both casual and ritual specific outfits practically spill out onto the black carpet of plush fibers, the owner had spilled a box of glitter earlier that day so in the open window blinds the floor seems as filled with stars as the sky outside.  
  
The owner of the semi messy bedroom checks once more if the shortest route to Winterbridge Hospital truly is the shortest on her iPhone’s GPS before grabbing and throwing on her favorite orange and black jacket, putting aside the family’s tradition of doing Ghost and Spirit business, it’s Halloween after all! Gotta look good for the occasion, maybe even add some fire patterns to appease a fire-starting Vengeful Spirit! ...but this can’t be done without some help from a peace-keeping expert. One who’s become something of a partner over these months.  
  
“Hey Kiri!” the Ghost Collector called out down the hall of her open door as her slipped on her fire patterned running shoes, “We’ve got a date with the Spirit of Winterbridge!”  
“We’re finally looking into that?” the owner of the cheerful voice floats in, phasing through the wall of the bedroom as if the wooden door weren’t wide open. “Goodness! I was getting worried that his trail had gone cold!” the translucent bedsheet style Ghost giggles mid sweep toward the supernaturally attuned human. “...ironically!” she finishes between hiccups.  
  
“I know right?” the Collector said during a few quick stretches, “For some reason he’s decided to stay at Winterbridge! I’d wondered if a different Spirit were haunting the place and we’d confused the two, but no! The Hellfire Phantom is still residing in those burnt out halls.”  
  
“Why do you think that is?” Kiri asked, mimicking the attempt at aerobic maneuvers that the Collector did with practiced poinency. “Is he luring in new souls or just staying there?”  
  
“Well…” the Collector strained, “Considering that during the actual attack, he had the mercy to let everyone escape the building with nothing but first degree burns and mild to moderate smoke inhalation, I’d say that he wants to let go of his grudge...maybe?”  
  
“Aaaand what caused this sudden re-interest in the Hellfire Case…?” Kiri asked, her voice carried a not-so-hidden sing-song quality, though she knew the answer, she just wanted to hear the Collector say it.  
  
Springing herself off the ground with newfound rejuvenation the Ghost Collector’s toned figure stands up straight again, bouncing once or twice on her tiptoes for no reason. “Just got an investigation request today! From a person who actually lives near Winterbridge and survived a near encounter with the Spirit themselves!” she fixed her curly black hair into a stylishly messy ponytail with a red scrunchie on her wrist, making sure to leave enough slack for her bangs to flow freely. “They say that they can smell the hospital continuing to burn despite the fire having been put out months ago, the smell carries enough supernatural energy to radiate through their car even if the windows are shut tight. Not to mention the burn they received when they tried to catch their breath after heading inside to recklessly check it out themselves.”  
  
“The burn’s not bad is it?!” the Ghost’s ethereal voice echoed with concern.  
  
“They got it bandaged, it should be alright.” the Collector reassured, “...I hope.” with some second-guessing.  
  
“And that picture on your...internet box..?”  
  
“Computer.” She clarified. “And on the screen are two image files the requester sent as evidence of their claim. They said it showed up in their camera roll a day after the encounter. One natural, one saturated, showing Hellfire’s silhouette on the roof of the building”  
  
“Just like with all the other cases!”  
  
With a snap of her fingers, the Ghost Collector flashes a grin to her otherworldly companion. “Exactly!”  
  
\---  
  
Atop the charred remains of the roof of Winterbridge Hospital is the transparent image of a young man, though pale in life his complexion now would seem perfectly ghostly to anyone who could visualize him. His coffee brown overcoat has furred cuffs, the cream colored sweater he wore under the open coat seems handknit, around is neck is a decorative muffler - light brown with red, black, and white patterns interwoven throughout, black pants and brown hunting boots finish off his outfit and perfectly showcase where he was when he met his untimely death. Alongside the singed edges and burned patches of invisible flesh. He sits near the border of the roof, where the fence would be. Though it shouldn’t, his black hair manages to blow in the chilled breeze that rustled the leaves that hadn’t flown off the nearby trees yet. Black sclera on red irises gaze out through the overgrown vines that crawl up and down the cracked concrete walls of the building, the sigh that escapes his chest turns to a small cloud of smoke even warmer than a human’s would be. Flecks of embers quietly burn out and fade away.

  


It's so quiet around this little section of the world. The Spirit's red aura tangles around his silhouette and evaporate into tendrils that disappear into nothing, typically auras like his act as radars for Spirit hunters to identify their latest target through infrared scanning. Spirit auras can expand and heighten in color intensity according to the Spirits' desires. With enough power one can even frighten humans and convert their fear into energy using their oppressing aura, effectively feeding off their fear. But with how utterly quiet and uneventful his un-life as the Spirit of Winterbridge has been, the Hellfire Phantom has no malice to project and no one to strike fear into. This has left his aura spindly and dull, with the Spirit himself in quite the docile state, more penitent, drowsy, and maybe just a little bit lonely.

How unfitting for a Vengeful Spirit.

He floats himself off the ledge and down onto the wild grass and the free flowers and the autumn leaves that do their best to encase them all. Once sitting upright he falls to his back with an echoing, crumpling thump! and stares up at the night sky and the beautifully full moon. It's not the lack of fresh fear that has this Spirit so unlike himself - though that is a definite factor - it's the season. Despite having no clue what but it is something about tonight has the Hellfire Phantom all tranquil and melancholic, it happens every year around this time and still, he has no clue why...

In the place of any sort of snarky comment he would've made, the Hellfire Phantom sighs another puff of smoke and embers into the open air above. The sudden urge to make an autumn leaf angel arises from his chest as his eyelids get that fair bit heavier.

He can't think of anything to say.

\---

"So Winterbridge is just down this avenue according to my GPS."

"What's a G.P.S.?"

"A thing that uses satellites to make an automated map, it give you directions on where to go."

Kiri was in silent awe for a moment, "When I was alive we only had to rely on paper maps and the courage it took to swallow your pride and ask someone for directions! You and your technologies are really amazing!!"

The Ghost Collector couldn’t help but chuckle softly at the inherent innocence that comes with dying and becoming a Guardian Ghost generations ago, at a time before the internet truly took off into the mainstream. She takes the car into the closet spot on the darkened road, right at the edge of the wildly overgrown grass and trees practically turn the once empty parking lot into a pseudo-jungle. The human dons her spiderweb decorated black sun hat, her trusty brown bag filled with equipment, and exits through the driver’s side car door while the Ghost phases through the opposing one, eagerly bouncing in the thin air with bubbly energy as she hums a small tune.  


"You ready Kiri?"

"Absolutely!" The ever chipper Ghost stated, "Do you think he knows what day it is?"

"Likely not." The Collector replied as they began their journey, "But I'll say, we're really lucky to have discovered an update about him today, Halloween seems to resonate with hostile Spirits in general and mellows 'em out at least for one day."

"I hope we're not too late, Spirit Hunters and Exorcists love Halloween too..." Kiri's voice filled with preemptive worry, "...they only seem to get more obsessive."

"Yeah...I mean, I fully understand what they do... I'll just never get their tendency to get so caught up on destroying the supernatural as a whole." She lamented, having come from a family whose origins involved taming ancient legendary creatures.

The two continued to walk (and float) while they conversed, passively searching for their desired Spirit through EKG Ratings and natural aura sensitivity respectively. Until when they reached the former courtyard of the hospital.

"Oh look!" Kiri excitedly whispered, pointing a nubby blanketed finger in the distance. "I think I sense him! Close to the front window panes!"

"You're only just now able to sense his aura?" She did her best to avoid seeming doubtful of Kiri's natural capabilities.

"Yeah! He must be starved by now, if he's been isolated here all this time..." This little Ghosty never fails to show sympathy for even the most unforgivable of Vengeful Spirits, "...poor guy can't help that he eats fear."

"The EKG Radar isn't even picking up a signal, come on Hellfire, you didn't pass out did you?" She asked to both herself and the Spirit as they quicken their pace toward the rectangular holes in the wall where the windows once were.

There they find...

...the Hellfire Phantom, sleeping peacefully under the stars in the middle of an autumn leaf angel, that he presumably made himself. No Spirit with a body count in the hundreds has ever looked so adorable. God bless the supernatural qualities of Halloween! On instinct, the Collector brings out her Spirit Camera - a modified polaroid built with the purpose of capturing otherworldly phenomena - and snaps a silent picture of his sleeping figure.

"For this moment, he's so cute...!" Kiri confesses with a blush.

"And he's really knocked out! I'm sure he would've burned our souls to ash at any other time...!" The Collector whispered inside a giggle.

Amidst this, he remains asleep, 'breathing' steady.

For a second, the two mull over what exactly to do with a sleeping Spirit. Should Kiri be the one to wake him, he's more likely to comply if a fellow lingering soul were to awaken him as opposed to a human. On the other hand however, the Ghost Collector is a very spiritually attuned individual, with a few key tricks up her sleeve to help him calm down in the event of any hostility.

"Why don't we try together?" Kiri suggested.

"But double-teaming might disorient or overwhelm him, remember, this peacefulness is not in a Spirit's usual behavior! Not by a longshot."

"Oh I'm well aware!" Kiri reassured without a shred of bitterness, "I just thought that because it's a holiday, we could both treat him nice! The fastest way to earn trust is to treat others how you want to be treated! Right?"

She had a point but, "Still really risky..."

"But we won't know if it works if we never try it."

The pair overlook the Hellfire Phantom as he lies under them, cheeks a faint glow with soft orange light.

"Let's see here...because he has no one to scare, the primary source of energy or 'food' isn't an option. What other kinds of energy can Spirits consume...?" The Collector mused with a manicured hand twirling a strand of her hat's fake spider silk. "If he's starving then he must be ravenous..."

"Let's try asking him for starters, just to get a feel for his mood."

Yeah, she figures, with a sleeping Spirit nothing will get done if no one wakes him up. "Alright. But I'll protect you if anything happens."

"I know silly!" Kiri smiled.

With that the two steel their resolve and - on each side - begin nudging the Spirit on both shoulders, lightly rocking him from side to side.

"Mr. Hellfire..." Kiri cooed on his right, "Wakey-wakey, rise and shine~"

"Hey...Mr. Hellfire Phantom..." The Collector whispered on his left, "Sorry if your tired but we're here to help you..."

Maybe because of his pyromancy, maybe because of the nights effect on him, but he felt so pleasantly warm against the cold of the grass and air around him it was a wonder how he wasn't sweating ectoplasm under those metaphysical clothes. He shuffles slightly and rolls over to continue resting on his stomach, using his arms and muffler as a makeshift mattress and pillow.

At the sight, an idea flashes through Kiri's ghostly mind. Without prompting she softly begins rubbing the Spirit's back with her cloaked hands, the knowing glance toward her companion asks for cooperation.

The Collector obliges, silently taking her hands to the Spirit's see-through shoulders and begins kneading in small circles. One would never guess the tension that comes with being an angry soul from beyond the grave, but she was startled at just how much there was. To be fair, anyone with as much muscle(?) tension as his would be just as angry a Spirit. "It's alright, we'll help you..." She pitied, kneading a little deeper this time.

The effect was almost immediate. The Hellfire Phantom relaxed his brow and gave a heavy sigh much deeper than any previous, the resulting smoke disrupted the stillness of the grass and turned those closest into a mild grey. But none of them were singed, this plan was actually working.

"Can you hear me...?" Kiri asked, rubbing in vertical stripes on his back. "Do you like this...?"

The Spirit responded with a stretch of his legs and a muffled noise of what seemed to be confirmation...or maybe annoyance...? 

With some hesitation the Collector reiterates, "D-Does this feel good...?" The answer is revealed when the Spirit repeats the sound he made, only with a slow nod. The orange blush in his cheeks and ears glows brighter as a tiny verbalization manages to escape him. Though she's always known that Ghosts and Spirits subconsciously turn corporeal, the Collector never thought to try something like this to relax one. Carefully noting this for future reference.

This seemed about a good enough time as any for the questions to begin, “Hey, Mr. Hellfire?”  
  
Groggy and sluggish, the Spirit slowly turns his head to face the mortal calling him.  
  
“I’m known as the Ghost Collector, and I’m here investigating a burning smell that was around this hospital, were you the cause of it?” She seemed that it would be the best to start with the startlingly obvious sort.  
  
With a small huff he nodded.  
  
The Collector gave her own nod toward Kiri’s direction, signifying that it was her turn now.  
  
Kiri hums to herself, shifting through the mental list of questions, trying to choose which would be the best to start with. “Ummm… so we’ve been looking into your string of arsons and I think we know who you are, so can we call you by your name? My name’s Kiri!”  
  
He shifted to the face the Ghost on his other side, shrugging without a care one way or another.  
  
“So you are Kyle Weaver...the man who disappeared in the mountains after that massive forest fire in 2017, right?”  
  
Normally he would be furious at someone knowing his human name, but...he doesn’t want to lose the sudden-if-deeply-relaxing massage he was getting so… Again, he nodded, black-on-red eyes threatening to close again as the glow they shine with dim and flicker.  
  
“Alright, I’m glad that we’re able to confirm what happened to you…” the Collector started with a softer tint in her voice, “...and, I come from a family that helps Spirits overcome their grudges and allows them to pass on,” she stayed focused on Weaver’s sleepy face, keeping a look out for any hint of aggression as she speaks, “Do you want to pass on, Mr. Weaver?”  
  
Having gotten sick of swiveling his head back and forth, he keeps it to the Collector’s side and pondered the potential answers that drifted in. A moment later and he shakes his head to the best of his ability.  
  
“‘No’?”  
  
“Not yet, I think he means.” Kiri clarifies for him, “Maybe someday, just not yet.”  
  
Weaver nods at that. He is a Spirit after all and compared to Ghosts, they can be infinitely harder to convince when it comes to crossing over, especially if they possess faulty or impossible grudges, Spirits with those can be forced to roam the mortal realm forever should there be no one to lift the burden for them. And the Spirit of Kyle Weaver seems dangerously close to meeting that fate.  
  
“Hey, Mr. Weaver…” the Collector started again, this time taking the brown bag off her own back and rifled through the contents, “Like I said, we’re here to help you, and we know a safe place for you to stay! Far away from Spirit Hunters and the like, their hyper-active today as I’m sure you know.”  
  
She then presents a lantern and places it down in front of his face. The candle within is immediately lit with a small flame the same flickering brightness as his eyes, he seems to like it…? “I want to keep you safe with me. Will you join us?”  
  
Kyle Weaver continued to silently stare into the flame he lit, as if looking for the answer within the burning red. Slowly and carefully, the Spirit lifts himself into a sitting position by the weight of his upper half, stretching out his arms and back with a yawn that shouldn’t be possible for someone without the oxygen or carbon monoxide needed for a yawn to be necessary, but it could still be heard.  
  
“It’s really fun, staying with her!” Kiri half whispers in his ear with an almost impish light in her eye, “There are a lot more Ghosts and Spirits than just me, I’m sure you’ll find someone to get along with!” She lightly nudges his shoulder. “And you know...if you wanna…” then circles around his dull red aura in a way that might be too playful if it weren’t Halloween, “...I could be your friend! Or at least introduce you to everyone!”  
  
With a chuckle, “Kiri, don’t pressure him!” the Ghost Collector reminded her. But honestly, Weaver seemed interested in joining as he hasn’t stopped glancing back at the red-lit lantern. It must look comfortable or something.  
  
Then in the next instant, Weaver merely poked the lantern and his semi psychical self evaporated as the lantern’s light now burned a piercing scarlet, illuminating the abandoned hospital courtyard like a firebomb! The Collector had to shield her eyes for fear of being blinded, Kiri nearly jumped out of the mortal realm from how bad it startled her! But...after a second or three, nothing else happened. Weaver wasn’t trying to escape, wasn’t angry, and most importantly…  
  
“Mr. Weaver...i-is this a yes?” the Collector called out to the pitch red light.  
  
“.......yes.” he finally spoke for the first time in a while.  
  
...he didn’t feel lonely anymore. The warmth that spread throughout the lamp was surprisingly pleasant indeed.  
  
\---  
  
Create New Thread  
Title: A Quick and Easy Way to Calm a Vengeful Spirit (Only Attempt on Halloween)

**Author's Note:**

> Alternate title: How to Calm a Vengeful Spirit and Gain an Insanely Powerful Lantern in the Process! What do you Mean this Sounds Like a Light Novel Title!? I'm Serious! This is a Legitimate Guide! Don't Scoff Like That!!


End file.
